Zorro vs. The Christmas Train

Our dog Zorro (seen in SOCKET along with our other adopted rescue Buck) is OBSESSED with the train under our Christmas tree, so much so that he gets upset when the train derails. Enjoy this short sample of Zorro's obsession.

Friends of Velvet Candy : Mary Edwards

On a recent trip to New York City, we were happily reunited (and it felt so good) with our old friend MARY EDWARDS. The fabulous Ms. Edwards is a composer, arranger, songwriter and performer whose performances have been described as "...sensual, sonic architecture..." (Corinne Drewery of Swing Out Sister!!!) and "...songs evocative of 1960s cinematic soundtracks combined with the gorgeous intimacy of the 1970s singer-songwriter era..." (Time Out Magazine).

Mary's debut cd, A SMILE IN THE MIND (available for sale on her website) is a gorgeous example of what music SHOULD sound like. As others may have implied, if Carole King and Burt Bacharach ever had a love child, then Mary Edwards just might have been the result! Check her out here: Mary Edwards Sound/Architecture

The SCREENING PARTY Trailer

Unfortunately had to be removed from YouTube due to music clearance issues.
I hope everyone who got to see it did enjoy it.

SOCKET wins 2nd Place Juried Prize in Indianapolis!!!

The Indianapolis LGBT Film Festival honors two films with the AT&T Pioneers: Best of Festival Awards. The field was narrowed down to five contenders by the film selection committee and then those five were presented to a panel of judges for a final decision. The winning films were a announced at the Premiere Party Event!

Congratulations to Director Sean Abley for winning the AT&T Pioneers second place with SOCKET!!!

Chicago Sun-Times covers SOCKET

Lesbian, gay fest will plug in to 'Socket'

November 4, 2007
BY MISHA DAVENPORT

It's hard to say what is more shocking about "Socket" -- the film's sci-fi/horror plot or that it's even being featured in Reeling 2007: The 26th annual Chicago Lesbian and Gay International Film Festival.

It's not that there isn't a Chicago connection with the film. Sean Abley, who wrote, directed and has a small part, is one of the founding members of the Factory Theater.

"He's definitely exploring new territory," says Brenda Webb, founder of Reeling, which begins Thursday at Landmark Century and runs through Nov. 18 at assorted theaters. "I know it won't necessarily be everyone's cup of tea."

"What can I say? I'm a big horror movie fan and an even bigger fan of [director] David Cronenberg," Abley says sheepishly with a laugh.

Cronenberg is best known for the 1986 remake of "The Fly" as well as "Crash," "eXistenZ" and "Scanners." He is credited with popularizing the film genre known as "body horror."

Abley's 2007 feature pays homage to Cronenberg in plot, tone and visual imagery. The film's plot centers on Bill Matthews (Derek Long), a gay surgeon who falls in with a group of people who all survived being struck by lightning and now purposely juice themselves with electric current.

"Horror for me isn't something that's coming at me, but rather what's inside me," Abley says. "There is something creepy about people doing something horrible to their bodies on purpose."

While some will see the lead character's descent into addiction as a metaphor for crystal methamphetamine usage at gay circuit parties, Abley says that wasn't the case. "On some level, it is a story about addiction. They try it, they like it, they continue to use it," he says. "But this was really about how Cronenberg incorporates science with the biological. That was more a jumping off point for me than circuit parties."

Abley first began to develop the idea for what would eventually become his film while still living in Chicago about 10 years ago.

"I kept seeing sockets coming out of human flesh and people plugging themselves in," he says.

When his career stalled in Hollywood, Abley dug up the outline for "Shocker" and wrote the screenplay.

"I took it to my agent, and he didn't want to send it out," he says. "He was worried I would be branded a gay writer. This coming from a gay agent."

There was a subtle, institutionalized homophobia in the industry, he says. "I was writing for a lot of children's TV and animation. While there is no lack of gay writers in television or film in Hollywood, there was a lack of gay shows or films."

Abley received a lot of offers for the script, but all of them were contingent on him making the characters straight.

"This was before 'Brokeback Mountain' broke everything open, and I don't really know why I was so stubborn," he says.

The film sat in a desk drawer for another few years before Abley finally took it back out and decided to produce and direct it himself. "I kept thinking about everything we were able to accomplish at the Factory Theater and figured if we could write and produce plays there, I should be able to make films."

Abley shot the film in nine days with a $100,000 budget. It has played other spots on the gay film festival circuit, where it has polarized audiences.

"The film is the sort of film you either love or hate," he says. "It's been criticized because the characters' sexuality isn't a plot point and because the two main characters aren't always likable. That makes it different than 90 percent of the gay films out there, and I don't mind that."

It's Official!

SOCKET score by Jennifer Kes Remington nominated for 2007 Film & TV Music Award!!!

The Film & TV Music Academy has announced the nominees for The 2007 Film & TV Music Awards, a awards program for the film and television music industry. The program includes awards for a comprehensive list of categories honoring professionals in a wide range of industry crafts.

All nominations were made by members of The Film & TV Music Academy during the nomination period of September 1-20, 2007. Film & TV Music Academy members will vote online during October 1-15 to determine the winners. The award winners will be announced on October 30. Membership in The Film & TV Music Academy is open to professionals working in the film and television music industry worldwide and students working towards a career in the industry.

Velvet Candy Entertainly proudly congratulates Jennifer Kes Remington on her nomination for SOCKET, as well as for her work on the wonderful animated series FOSTER'S HOME FOR IMAGINARY FRIENDS. Way to go, Jen!!!

BEST SCORE FOR AN INDIE FEATURE FILM
Christopher Lennertz - Tortilla Heaven
*Jennifer Kes Remington - Socket
George Shaw - J-ok’el
Ryan Shore - Numb
Austin Wintory - Back Soon

BEST SCORE FOR AN ANIMATED TELEVISION PROGRAM
Alf Clausen - The Simpsons
Christopher Drake - Hellboy Animated: Sword of Storms
Tom Erba - Tom And Jerry Tales
Walter Murphy - Family Guy
*James Venable and Jennifer Kes Remington - Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends

More info on the Film & TV Music Awards.

SOCKET picked up by TLA VIDEO/TLA RELEASING!!!

Velvet Candy Entertainment, LLC and Dark Blue Films are thrilled to announce that SOCKET has been picked up for distribution by TLA Releasing/TLA Video!

The film will be available on DVD in first quarter 2008, and possibly on Video-On-Demand and Pay-Per-View shortly afterwards.

To be notified when SOCKET will be available for purchase, visit the TLA website.
To pre-order SOCKET on dvd click here.

SOCKET will also continue on the festival circuit - Our current schedule is:

GAYLAXICON 2007, Altanta - Oct 6
REEL AFFIRMATIONS, Washington D.C. - Oct. 19
REELING, Chicago - Nov. 11
INDIANAPOLIS LGBT FILM FEST, Indianapolis - November, Date TBD

More SOCKET news coming soon!!!

Movies That Make You Say "Huh?" : The Blog

When things got kinda slow here at the VELVET CANDY ENTERTAINMENT blog, I decided to tell readers about some great bad old movies that I recently watched.

Before I knew it, I was blogging more about those old chestnuts more often than news about VELVET CANDY productions. So, in an attempt to draw a line between my two passions, I now bring you all MOVIES THAT MAKE YOU SAY "HUH?": THE BLOG!

To start off I will be re-posting some earlier reviews originally found here, followed by some brand new posts about more crazy old classics. I hope you all enjoy what I have to say!